Fluid drive



Aug. 1o, 1943.

FLUID DRIVE Filed Dec. 15, 1941 Patented ug. 10, 1943 'k FLUID DRIVE Raymond J. Miller, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Hydraulic Brake Company, Detroit,l Mich., a. corporation of California Application December 15, 1941, Serial No. 423,103

(Cl. 'I4-189.5)

.8 Claims.

This invention relates to iiuid drives, and more particularly to that type .generallyv known yas torque converters.

Broadly the invention comprehends a uid drive for heavy duty vehicles including an impeller, a turbine driven thereby, and means operative for driving the impeller at diierent peaks of eiiiciency.

An `object of the invention is to provide a uid drive including cooperating driving and driven members,v operative at two cycles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a uid drive for heavy duty vehicles including a uid power transmission, a two-speed mechanical transmission for transmitting power to the uid transmission, and means for delivery of power directly from the uid transmission.

ing 26 fitted on the shaft I4. The hub also receives theenlarged end I6 of the shaft I4 with substantial clearance, and a detachable hub 28 suitably secured Ito the other end of the sleeve 22 .receives a bearing 38 also fitted o n the shaft I4.

. A stationary housing 32 has hubs 34 and 36. The hub 34 has tted therein a bearing 38, and the hub 36 has detachably secured thereto a bearing support 48 for the reception of a bearing 42. A sleeve 44 has splined thereto a hub 46 supported by the bearing 38, and the sleeve also has an enlarged body portion 48, and splined to this body `portion is a pinion 58 having a concentrilcally displaced sleeve 52 receiving the .bearing 42.

A further object of the invention is to provide a iiuid drive for heavy duty vehicles including a torque converter comprising an impeller, a turbine providing in conjunction therewith a fluid circuit, a reaction member movable into and out of the circuit, and a support for the reaction member mounted for free rotation in one direction only. r

Still a further object of the'invention is to provide a fluid drive including a uid transmission, a two-speed mechanical transmission arranged in spaced relation to the uid .transmission, force-multiplying means mounted between the i'luid and mechanical transmissions and operatively connected to one element of the fluid transmission, and means for control of themechanical transmission.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the -drawing forming a part of this specication, and in which,

The single gure is a schematic view, mostly in section, of a fluid drive embodying the invention.

Referring to the drawing for more specific detailsof the invention, I8 represents a sleeve having a circumferential flange I2. This sleeve is suitable for the reception of the crank shaft of an internal combustion engine or any'other de- A sleeve 54 splined to the bearing support 4,8 andr suitably secured against displacement is extended into |the enlarged body 48 of the sleeve 44,.and fitted in the sleeve 54 are spaced bearings 56. A sleeve 58 supported for rotation on the bearingsW 56 has thereon a brake 68 including a brake face 62 on the sleeve 58 between the bearings 56 and rollers 64 for cooperation With the face 62 and the wall of fthe sleeve 54.

The sleeve 58 has a concentrically disposed enlarged portion 66 provided with external threads ,68; and tted in the enlarged portion 66 is a bearing I8 in axial alignment with a bearing 12 tted in a bearing support I4 suitably secured to the bearing support48, and the bearings 'I8 and 12 receive the sleeve 22.

The housing 32 has oppositely disposed bea-ring supports I6 and I8 offset from the bearing supports 34 and 36, and bearings 88 and 82 tted on the bearing supports receive for rotation a large gear 84 in mesh With the pinion 58. The

A 4ber suitably connected to a driven shaft 90,

A rotatable housing $2, boltedvor otherwise secured to the hub 46 splined on the sleeve 44, has

a hub 94 receiving the hub 24 on the sleeve 22 vided with a socket and a radial ange I8. The

socket receives the sleeve I8, and theange I8 is suitably secured to the ange I2, and the other end of the shaft is tapered as indicated at 28.

A sleeve 22 is supported for rotation on the shaft I4. As shown, the sleeve 22 has a hub 24 on one end thereof for the reception of a bearwith substantial clearance. A ring 96 threaded on the hub 24 has thereon a uid seal embracing the driving shaft, and interposed between the f ring 86 and the hub 94 is a fluid seal for inhibit ing seepage of vfluid from the housing. f

The housing 92 has therein a three-stage turbine indicated generally at 88. The first stage |88 of the turbine includes an outer shroud |82 secured to the wall of the housing and a plurality of vanes |84 arranged thereon supporting an inner shroud I85. The second stage |88 of the turbine includes aplurality of blades II8 secured to the wall of the housing 92 and supporting an inner shroud H2, and the third stage ||4 of the turbine includes an outer shroud ||6 having arranged thereon a plurality of blades I8 supporting an inner shroud secured by a suitable ring or bracket |22 to the inner shroud |06 of the first stage.

A reaction member indicated generally at |24 includes a carrier |26 mounted for travel on the threads 68 of the enlarged portion 66 of the sleeve 58. The carrier |26 has suitably secured thereto a web |28 supporting an outer shroud |30 having arranged thereon a plurality of reaction vanes |32 movable into and out of the fluid circuit between the second and third stages of the turbine. The reaction vanes |32 have thereon an inner shroud |34, and arranged on this shroud is a plurality of guide vanes |36 supporting a shroud |38. When the reaction vanes move into the fluid circuit, the guide vanes move out of the fluid circuit, and vice versa. The shroud |38 is connected by a ring or bracket |40 to an inner shroud |42 having thereon a plurality of reaction vanes |44 supporting an outer shroud |46. The reaction vanes |44 move into and out of the fluid circuit between the first and second stages of the turbine, and the movement thereof is in unison with that of the reaction vanes |32. The operation and function of the reaction member |24 will hereinafter appear.

An impeller, indicated generally at |48, is mounted on the enlarged portion 24 of the sleeve 22 within the housing 82 in oppositely disposed relation to the turbine, and provides in conjunction therewith a vortex chamber for circulation of fluid. The impeller includes a hub |50 keyed to the sleeve 22, and the hub supports an outer shroud |52 having arranged thereon a plurality of blades |54 supporting an inner shroud |56.

A planetary gear system indicated generally at |58 connects the driving shaft |4 to the impeller |48. As shown, a sleeve |60 splined to the tapered end 20 of the driving shaft has fitted thereon a bearing |62, anda-housing |64 mounted for rotation on the bearing has therein a transversely disposed shaft |66. A planet pinion |68 and a relatively small planet pinion |10 are journaled on the shaft |66. The large planet pinion |68 meshes with a sun gear |12 on the hub 28 of the sleeve 22, and the small planet pinion |10 meshes with a sun gear |14 secured to the sleeve |60.

A brake drum |16 is suitably secured to the housing |64,` and friction elements |18 for cooperation with the drum are suitably mounted on a fixed support |80y and a fluid pressure actuated motor |82 is operative to actuate the friction elements into engagement with the drum.

A disc clutch, indicated generally at |84, is connected between the driving shaft I4 and the rotatable housing |64 of the planetary gear system. As shown, the clutch includes a member |86 splined to the sleeve |60 on the tapered end of the driving shaft, a bonnet |88 iixedly secured to the rotatable housing |64 of the planetary gear system, and a stack of interleang friction elements |90 and |82 carried respectively by the member |86 and the bonnet |88.

A slidable compression ring |84 is urged by springs |96 to abut the friction elements. A plurality of spaced levers |98 fulcrumed on the bon- -net engage the compression ring, and a slidable cap 200 for cooperation with the levers has a groove 202 for` the reception of a shifting fork, not shown. The clutch is normally engaged, and may be released by shifting the cap 200 so as to actuate the levers |88 and compress the springs |96 through the medium of the compression ring.

In a normal operation, upon rotation of the shaft I4, force is transmitted through the clutch |84 and the mechanical transmission |58, operating as a single unit, to the sun gear |12, resulting in driving the sleeve 22 and consequently the impeller |48, thus effecting a direct drive.

Rotation of the impeller |48 results in energization of the fluid in the vortex chamber. The energy of the fluid is absorbed by the vanes of the first, second, and third stages |00, |08 and ||4 of the turbine. This results in rotation of the turbine and the consequent transmission of power therefrom through the pinion carried by the turbine and the gear 84 in mesh therewith, to the stub shaft 86 connected by the universal joint 88 to the driven shaft 80.

At a predetermined speed of operation wherein torque multiplication is no longer required, the direction of flow of the uid in the vortex chamber changes, and the uid impinges on the backs of vanes |44 and |32 of the reaction member |24. This results in movement of the reaction member |24 on the threads 68 of the sleeve 58, and this movement of the reaction member results in retraction of the reaction vanes |44 and |32 from the uid circuit and movement of the guide vanes |36 into the circuit between the second and third stages |08 and ||4 of the turbine. When the reaction vanes are fully retracted, the reaction member |24 rotates with the sleeve 58 as a unit. This completes the cycle of operation for a direct drive.

When it is desired to effect an overdrive, the clutch |84 is released and the brake |18 is applied to hold the housing |64 against movement. This results in the transmission of force through the sun gear |14, and pinions |68 and |10, and sun gear |12 to the sleeve 22, resulting in increase of speed of the impeller.

This increase in speed of the impeller is greater than that of the turbine, and this differential in speed results in a change in the direction of uid flow, causing the reaction vanes |44 and |32 to move into the fluid circuit to again provide for torque multiplication. When the reaction vanes move into the fluidcircuit, the reaction member |24 travels on the threads 88 on the sleeve 58 held against movement in one direction by the brake 60, and when torque multiplication is again no longer required, the direction of now of the uid again changes and the fluid impinges on the backs of the vanes |44 land |32, causing the reaction vanes to again move out of the :duid circuit and the guide vanes |36 to move into the iiuid circuit, whereupon the reaction member and the sleeve 22' are free to rotate as a unit. This completes the cycle of operation for an overdrive.

It is obvious that an underdrive may be effected by a suitable change of gears in the planetary system, and it is also obvious that in any change in speed, due to deceleration or an increased torque demand, the unit functions in the proper cycle to produce the most efficient operation.

While this invention has been described in connection with certain specific embodiments, the principle involved is susceptible of numerous other applications that will readily occur to persons skilled in the art. The invention is, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the various features of the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure as Letters Patent is: l

1. A power transmission comprising a mechanical transmission, a uid transmission driven thereby, a clutch for the mechanical transmission providing for one speed of operation of the fluid transmissioma brake for the mechanical transmission providing for another speed of operation of the fluid transmission, a torque-multiplying means mounted between the transmission and operatively connected to the fluid transmission, and a shaft connected to the torque-multiplying means.

2. A power transmission comprising a drivev shaft, a sleeve supported thereon for relative rotation, a two-speed mechanical transmission connecting the shaft and the sleeve, a fluid transmission connected to the sleeve, `a torquemultiplying means mounted on the sleeve be` tween the transmissions and connected to the driven element of the uid transmission,- a driven shaft connected to the torque-multiplying means,

and means for control of the mechanical transmission providing for two speeds of operation of the uid transmission.

3. A power transmission comprising a drive shaft, a sleeve mounted thereon for relative rotation, a gear system-connecting the shaft and the sleeve, a uid transmission connected to the sleeve, a'clutch controlling the gear system for one phase of operation of the iluid transmission, a brake controlling thel gear system for another phase of operation of the iiuid transmission, a torque-multiplying means mounted between the transmissions and connected to the uid transmission, and a shaft connected to the torque multiplying means.

4. A power transmission comprising a iiuid transmission including an impeller, a turbine providing in commotion therewith a uid circuit, and a reaction member automatically movable into and out'of the circuit to vary torque.

multiplication as operating conditions may require, and a gear system connected to the impeller of the fluid transmission having manually operated controls for eectively driving the uid transmission through two speed cycles of operation repeated successively.

5. A power transmission comprising a fluid transmission includingan impeller, a turbine providing in conjunction therewith a fluid circuit and a reaction member movable into and shaft, a sleeve supported thereon for relative out of the fluid circuit to vary torque multiplication as operating conditions may require, means for operating the iiuid transmission through two speed cycles repeated successively including independent brake and clutch means, and torquemultiplying means operatively connected to the uid transmission. v

6. A power transmission comprising a fluid transmission including an impeller, a turbine y providing in conjunction therewith a iiuid circuit, nd a reaction member movable into and out of the circuit to vary torque multiplication as operating conditions may require, a mchamcal transmission for operating the iiuid transmission through two speed cycles repeated ysuccessively, said mechanical transmission controlled by independent clutch and brake means, a torque-multiplying means operatively connected to the .uid transmission, and means driven by the torque-multiplying means.

7. A power transmission comprising a u'id rotation, a mechanical transmission 'connecting the shaft and the sleeve, a iiuid transmission on the sleeve including an impeller and a turbine providing in conjunction with one another a uid circuit, a reaction member movable into and out of the fluid circuit to vary torque multi-` plication as operating conditions may require, means for controlling the mechanical transmission so as to drive the :fluid transmission through two speeds of operation repeated in succession, a torque-multiplying means mounted between the transmissions and operatively connected to the turbine of the iluid transmission, and means driven by the torque-multiplying means.

RAYMOND J. 

